In roughly 36 hours, a potentially catastrophic storm—making weather forecasters emotional in considering the probable death and destruction—threatens to wreck Florida’s Gulf Coast, which is still reeling from a previous storm. One would think, “All hands on deck.” But that’s not at all what Governor Ron DeSantis is thinking
No, he’s apparently pouting like a huffy, petulant child with his arms folded up and stomping his feet in his lifted shoes.
An NBC exclusive report indicates DeSantis, according to an aide, repeatedly refused to take calls from Vice President Kamala Harris regarding storm recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene and preparations for Milton’s impending landfall. “Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer,” the DeSantis aide told the network.
President Joe Biden ultimately called both DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. But DeSantis’ behavior has been par for the course. He did not join Biden when the president visited to view the recovery effort, electing to put on his own shindig four hours away.
“We invited the governor, right, to come and survey the damage areas with the president – obviously, we were in Florida, we invited the governor of Florida to come, it was his decision not, to not attend or not be there with the president,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday. “The president has reached out around Hurricane Helene. He reached out. It is up to the governor; it is really up to the governor.”
The facts are stark: Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified into a monster Category 5 storm with winds reaching 175 mph. Forecasters warn it could be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida when it makes landfall late Wednesday. Storm surges of up to 15 feet are expected near Tampa Bay, prompting widespread mandatory evacuations. Many, fortunately, appear to already be taking heed to the information and leaving on their own volition.
However, many vulnerable people will be financially or physically unable to leave the area. Yet instead of putting these lives ahead of politics and coordinating closely with the White House, DeSantis viewed the reach-out as “political.” There’s an even uglier undercurrent to DeSantis’ actions. His refusal to engage with Harris suggests a deep-seated discomfort with taking direction from a woman, particularly a Black woman in a position of authority. The prospect of Harris potentially becoming president seems to threaten DeSantis’ (and his constituents’) worldview of who should be giving orders to whom.
This reality is on top of the like-minded people who believe that the government made or is manipulating the storms. Former president Donald Trump has been doing his part by lying about the federal response to Hurricane Helene.
The governor’s excuses ring hollow. Asserting she “has no role in this process” is patently false, as the Vice President has always played an essential function in disaster response. DeSantis’ statement that Harris is “being selfish by trying to blunder into this” is projection at its finest.
Florida’s safety depends on robust coordination between state and federal authorities, regardless of who’s “in charge.” The governor’s constituents are counting on him to be the adult in the room. So far, he’s failing that test miserably.
Published: Oct 8, 2024 11:15 am